Variable-speed and reversing mechanism.



No. 743,467; a DPATENTED ov.10,190s.

' W. DECKER. VARIABLE SPEED AND :REVERSING MECHANISM.

. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 11. 1901.

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INVENTOH W4 Jzww No. 743,467: PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

"w. DECKER. VARIABLE SPEED AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1901.

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. N0..743,467. PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903-.

W. DECKER". VARIABLE SPEED AND REVERSING MECHANISM. APPLICATIOII FILEDMAR. 11. 1901.

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Patented November 10, 1903.

PATENT O FICE.

WARD DECKER, OF OWEGO, NE\V YORK.

VARIABLE-SPEED AND .REVERSING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,467, dated November10, 1903.

Application filed March 11, 1901. Serial No. 50,747. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARD DECKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Owego, in the county of Tioga and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Variable- Speed and Reversing Mechanism, ofwhich the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to the controlling mechanism applied tomotor-vehicles. It is not limited to this use, but may be employedwherever controlling, reversing, or speedchanging mechanism isdesirable.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide mechanism forthrowing the load onto a moving driving-shaft gradually and easily;second, to avoid the use of frictional clutches, internal gear-teeth,and bevelgears; third, to vary the speed as required without shiftinggear-wheels; fourth,to adapt small spur gear-wheels of the least numberof sizes to this use, thereby facilitating manufacture and occupyinglittle space; fifth, to distribute the strains among several gearwheels,and, sixth, to provide mechanism that can completely and easily beincased, allowing the mechanism to run in an oilbath. 1 attain theseobjects by the mechanism illustratedin the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of the lower half of the case,showing a cross-section through the center of the mechanism; Fig. 2, aside elevation of part of the gears and their support; Fig. 3,anelevation of the other side of Fig.2; Fig. 4, an elevation of one ofthe brake-wheels and one of thegears;

Figs. 5 and 6, opposite side elevations of another support and gears;Fig. 7, an elevation of the other brake-wheel and gear, with across-section of the brake mechanism; Fig. 72a section of the reversedbrake; Fig. 8, a side elevation of the complete mechanism with the upperhalf of the case removed,

and Fig. 9 a sectional view of the mechanism arranged to apply or takeoff power from various parts.

Similar figures referto similar parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 1, 9 showsa section of the main shaft with a main gear-wheel 25formed thereon. To this shaft is keyed a second 26 is a main gear 14 anda driving-gear 23.

sectional plan of the driving-shaft, which is practically a tube withenlarged ends supported in a bearing 6. This driving-shaft also supportsone end of the main shaft, which is preferably covered with someantifriction metal, as represented by 7. The other end of the main shaftis supported by the bearing 6. Both bearings 6 and 6 are held betweenand in enlargements of the two halves of the case 24, designed tocompletely cover the gears and hold an oil-bath for themto run in. Theend construction of the lower half of the case is clearly shown inFig.8, the upper half being a reverse duplicate adapted to be bolted tothe lower half through holes in the rim 44, Fig. 1.

The inner end of the driving-shaft 26 is enlarged into a flange 31 andis securely bolted to a wheel 19, freely movable upon the main shaft 9.At equidistant points on the face of this wheel adjacent to thedriving-shaft are mounted on short shafts three wheels or gears 22, 22,and 22, Fig. 6, all meshing with the main gear 25. .On the opposite sideof wheel 19 and mounted on the shafts extending through the wheel fromthe 22 series of gears are mounted three more gear-wheels wheel 16 isone end of a sleeve, the other end terminating in a smaller gear 15.Keyed to this sleeve is a brake-wheel 17, (shown in Fig. 4,) the otherside being the same as the wheel shown in Fig. 7. Immediately adjacentto small gear 15 is the second main gear 14, keyed to the main shaft.Upon the opposite side of this main gear from small gear 15 is looselymounted the gear-supporting and brake wheel 20. On the side of thiswheel next to the main gear and meshing with it aresu pported on threeshort shafts equidistant from each other the gear-wheels 12, 12 and 12*,Fig. 3. These short shafts reach through the support wheel and terminatein three larger gears 10, 10, and 10", Fig. 2. These last gears thesupport-wheel center and from the other short shafts. These last shaftsare longer than the other short shafts by a little over the thickness ofmain gear 14. Mounted on these shafts on the same side of thesupportwheel 20 as the gears 12, 12, and 12 are the larger gears 13, 13,and 13, Fig. 3. Owing to the shafts being longer and being held out byprojections on wheel 20, these gears are out of mesh with the smallerones, but are in mesh with the gear 15, as shown in Fig. 1 and also inFig.3, where a section of 15 is shown.

On the opposite side of 20 is loosely mounted on the main shaftgear-wheel 8. This gear is the termination of a sleeve keyed to thebrake-wheel 18, Fig. l and Fig. 7. Gear- Wheel 8 (shown in section inFig. 2) meshes with the larger gears 10, 10 and 10 Keyed to the mainshaft between brake-wheel 18 and bearing 6 is the driving-gear 23,adapted to engage with the ordinary compensating gear on the rear axleof a motor-vehicle, as shown in Fig. 10, or with any other gear to whichpower is to be applied.

Adjacent to the rim of each wheel 18, 20, and 17 are brake-shoes, suchas are represented at 35 in Fig. 1 and more clearly in the sectionalside elevation Fig. 7. Parallel to the main shaft and supported by thecasing 24 is the brake-rod 37, carrying the sleeve 38, Fig. 1. Securelyfastened to the brake-rod are disks with hubs similar to 36, Fig. 1.Brazed or otherwise firmly attached to sleeve 38 is the double connecteddisk 36. (Shown in section in Fig. l and partlyin section in Fig. 7.)Pivoted on the lower side of this disk and extending upwardly toward thebrake-Wheel is the shoe 35. Fastened to a pin 34 in the brake-shoe isthe end of the brake-band 33, which extends around the brake-wheel,where the other 'end is fastened to a pin in the disk 36*. Turning thedisk in one direction tightens the band and also pulls the brake-shoeagainst the wheel with something like a toggle action between thebrake-rod and the brake-wheel. The force of the brake-hand tending topull the wheel toward the brakerod is balanced by the shoe forcing itaway, and no excessive pressure is put upon the main shaft by thebrake-whee1 when held stationary.

The brake-rod 37 is provided with similar shoes and brake bands for theother two brake-wheels, the only difference being that one brake isreversed, the shoe being pivoted near the top of the disk and extendingdownwardly toward the brake-wheel, Fig. 7. This arrangement serves totighten one brake and release the second when the brake rod is turned inone direction and release the first and hold the second when the rod isturned in the reverse direction. Brake-rod 37 is actuated by the crank40, keyed to one end, while sleeve 38 is brazed to and actuated by crank39, Fig. 1. Rods extended from these cranks allow the brakes to beoperated from any convenient place. 43, Fig. 8, shows such a rod, and 42and 41 show asimilar brake arrangement attached to the compensating-geardrum on the vehicle-axle and supported by the case 24.

In describing the operation of the variablespeed and reversing mechanismit will be assumed that the driving-shaft 26, Fig. 1, is keyed to asprocket-wheel outside the case, which in turn is connected to a motorby a sprocket-chain. The motion of the drivingshat't when driven by themotor is such as to force the upper part of 26 backward as viewed inFig. 1, or in the same direction as the hands of a clock when viewingshaft 26 directly facing its outward end. This direction of rotationwill be denoted in the following description by.+, the reverse by Allthe change-gears are either twenty-four or thirtyfour teeth wheels.

All the brakes being off, the vehicle standing still, with its main ordriving axle direct-1y geared to wheel 23, Fig. l and Fig. 8, the motoris started and the following actions take place: The'main shaft 9, Fig.1, and main gears 8and 25 remain stationary. Driving-shaft '26 and wheel19, bolted to it, revolve in a direction. The gears 22, (meaning theseries 22, 22 and 22%) carried by wheel 19 and meshing with thestationary main gear 25, are turned by the latter in a direction botharound their own axes and the main shaft, as are also the 21 series ofgears, connected by shafts to the 22 series. The 21 series, meshing withthe sleeve-gear 16, carry that along in a direction, but at practicallyhalf the speed of the drivingshaft. The gear 15, connected by sleeve to16,1neshes with the 13 series of gears, supported by wheel 20 and shaftconnected to the 11 series, and turns them in a direction about theirown axes, but in a direction around the main shaft. Also meshing withthe 11 series (more clearly shown in Fig. 2) is the 10 series. This 10series is moved by the 11 gears in a direction both axially and aroundthe main shaft. The 10 series also mesh with the sleeve-wheel 8, whichis moved thereby in a direction. Attached by shafts to the 10 series isthe last or 12, meshing with the stationary main gear 14, keyed to theshaft 9. As the 10 series move in a direction, so also do the 12 series,and

as the gear 14 isstationary the wheel 20, supstopped by applying thebrake: Main gear 14, shaft 9, and gear 23-all revolve in a direction,and as the driving-axle of the vehicle is geared direct to 23 said axleis turned in a direction and the vehicle is driven for ward at slowspeed. Releasing wheel 20 and stopping wheel 18 will by the planetaryaction of the 10 gears on the gear 8, attached to wheel 18, force thewheel in a direction faster than it moved when the vehicle was standingstill and gear 14 was stationary. This will move gear 14 in a direction,for although the motion of gears 12 around their own axes is such as toforce 14 in a direction the motion of the gears around the main shaft isfaster. Consequently gear 14, shaft 9, and gear 23 move in a direction,the vehicle-axle in a direction, and the carriage is driven backward ata speed somewhatslower than the forward speed before described.Releasing wheel 18 and stopping wheel 17 puts on the high speed forward.In the slow speeds just described power is applied to the train of gearsand transmitted to the main shaft by two gears at each end of the train.In the high-speed arrangement power is applied through one main gearonly and part of the train, the remainder running idle. Stopping 17stops the attached gears 14: and 16. Wheel 19, moving in a direction,applies motion directly to the shafts connecting the 22 with the 21series of gears. These shafts therefore represent the ends of levers,the junction of gears 21 with 16 the fulcrums, and the junction of gears22 with 25 the opposite ends. motion beinggiven the shaft ends of theselovers, the fulcrums being stationary, as wheel 16 does not move, itfollows that the opposite ends of the levers will move main gear 25 in adirection. Gear 25, shaft 9, and gear 23, moving in a direction, drivethe vehicleaxle in a l direction, and the carriage runs forward at highspeed. During this action the remainder of the gears are idling, theiractions being as follows: The other main gearll i is also moving in adirection, driving the 12 gears in a direction around their own axes,but in a direction around the main shaft.- This latter motion is causedby the 12 gears, shafts, and 10 gears movingin a direction, driving the11 and 13 series in a direction. The latter gears meshing withstationary gear 14 carry the wheel 20 and attached gears in a directionthe same as the main shaft, but at a somewhat reduced rate of speed.Gearwheel 8 is also running in the same direction faster than wheel 20and faster than the main shaft. 7

With gearshaving twenty-four and thirtyfour teeth the high speed forwardis very nearly equal to the speed of the driving-shaft. The slow speedforward is a reduction of very nearly seven to one. The backward speedis reduced nearly to nine to one. Other speed ratios are obtained bychanging the relative size of the two sets of gears. The mechanism maybe reversed, power he" ing applied to the main shaft 9 and taken fromthe shaft 26, or it may be applied to or taken from any of the wheels17, 18, or 20, as shown in Fig. 9, where the gear-wheel 23 is showncombined with a brake-wheel and the brake-wheels 17, 18, and 20 are inturn supplied with gear-wheels.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A main shaft, two trains of planetary gears revolubly supported onsaid shaft, two main gears permanently fastened to the shaft and eachone meshing with one of the planetary trains respectively, connectedgears rotatable on said shaft and meshing with both trains of planetarygears, means for applying power to one of the fourportions of themechanism, viz., the main shaft, thefirst train of planetary gears, thesecond train, or the connected gears, whereby power may be withdrawnfrom another portion upon stopping the rotation of a third, and thespeed changed by releasing the third portion and stopping the fourth.

2. The herein-described power-transmitting device, the same consistingof the main shaft and the main gears fast thereon, the drive-shaft, theplanetary gears carried thereby and meshing with one of said main gears,a second train of planetary gears supported on the main shaft andmeshing with the second main gear, a pair of connected gears revolublymounted on said main shaft and meshing with both trains of planetarygears, a reversing-gear also loosely carried by the main shaft andmeshing with the second train of planetary gears, means for separatelyholding, one at a time, the connected gears, the second train ofplanetary gears, and the reversing-gear from rotation around the mainshaft, whereby, power being applied to the drive-shaft, the main shaftis driven forward at one of two speeds, or backward substantially asdescribed.

3. In a power-transmitting device a driven shaft, a plurality ofgear-wheels rigidly attached thereto, a train of gear-wheels constantlyin mesh and also constantly in mesh with the shaft-gears, means fordriving the train of gears, and further means for modifying the actionof said train whereby the motion of the driven shaft is changed.

4:. A main shaft, a gear-support freely movable thereon, a hollowdriving-shaft supported on themain shaft and rigidly attached totheg'eansupport, a second gear-support freely movable on the main shaft,two main-gear wheels rigidly attached to the main shaft, trains ofplanetary gears upon the gear-supports meshing respectively with bothmain gears, all in combination with a connected pair of gears looselymounted on the mainshaft and meshing with and connecting the free endsof the planetary gears and means for holding and releasing the supports.

5. A shaft, a train of permanently-meshed gears terminating at eitherend in gear-wheels rigidly attached to the shaft, means for applyingpower to some portion of the train, and further means for manipulatingthe train whereby the speed of the shaft is changed.

6. The combination ofa main shaft and two main gears fast thereon, atrain of gears supported on and rotatable about said shaft, said trainmeshing at each end with the main gears, means for applying power to thegeartrain, and further means for preventing the rotation of the gear-supports to start and alter the speed of the main shaft.

7. The combination of a main shaft and the main gears attached thereto,a series of gears supported upon and rotatable about the main shaft,means for preventing rotation of portions of the gear series which aremeshed with the main gears whereby power being applied to the series ofgears, the main shaft may be driven in one direction at a high speedthrough one of the main gears, and in the same and reverse direction ata slow speed through both of the main gears.

8. A main shaft and two main gears rigidly attached thereto, twoconnected gears loosely mounted on said. shaft between the two maingears, a fifth gear also loosely mounted on the shaft, two gear-supportsloosely mounted on said shaft, the first one between the connected gearsand a main gear, the second one between the fifth gear and the othermain gear, the latter main gear being situated on the shaft between thesecond support and the connected gear, a train of reverted epicyclicgears carried by the first support and meshing with a main gear and oneof the connected gears, a second train of reverted epicyclic gearscarried by the second support, one half of the latter train beingadapted to rotate in an opposite direction to the other half, one of thesaid halves also meshing with the fifth gear, said second train ofepicyclic gears meshing with the remaining main gear and the freeconnected gear, all in combination with brake-wheels attached to theconnected gears, the second train of epicyclic gears, and

the fifth gear, and suitable brakes for controlling the same.

9. A main shaft and two main gears rigidly attached thereto, twoconnected gears loosely mounted on said shaft between the two maingears, a fifth gear also loosely mounted on the shaft, two gear-supportsloosely mounted on said -shaft, the'first one between the connectedgears and a main gear, the second one between the fifth gear and theother main gear, the latter main gear being situated on the shaftbetween the second support and the connected gear, a train of revertedepicyclic gears carried by the first support and mesh ing with a maingear and one of the connected gears, a second train of revertedepicyclic gears carried by the second support, one half of the lattertrain being adapted to rotate in an opposite direction to the otherhalf, one of the said halves also meshing with the fifth gear, saidsecond train of epicyelic gears meshing with the remaining main and thesecond one of the connected gears, brakewheels attached to the connectedgears, thesecond train of epicyclic gears, and the fifth gear, suitablebrakes for controlling the same, and means for applying power to thefirst gear-support, whereby stopping the connected gears will rotate themain shaft at a high rate'of speed in an opposite direction from thefirst gear-support, releasing the connected gears and stopping thesecond. support will decrease the speed, and releasing the last supportand stopping the fifth gear will still further decrease the speed of themain shaft and reverse its direction of rotation, while releasing allthe brakes will allow the main shaft to stop.

10. A main shaft, a main gear, two connected gears, a second main gear,and a fifth gear, all mounted on said main shaft, the two main gearsrigidly, the others loosely; a hollow driving-shaft also loosely mountedon the main shaft, a train of epicyclic gearing supported on the mainshaft, and connecting the first main gear and one of the connectedgears, all in combination with a second train of epicyclic gearingconnecting the remaining one of the connected gears and the second maingear together and with the fifth gear and also supported on the mainshaft, and means for holding and releasing the loose gears and theepicyclic gearing.

11. Ashaft, a train of permanentlymeshed gears terminating at either endin a gearwheel rigidly attached to the shaft, means for applying powerto some portion of the train, and further means for modifying the actionof the train without altering any gears relation to an adjoining gear,whereby the speed of the shaft is changed, all in combination withanother gear meshing with the train adapted to be so manipulated as tochange the direction of rotation of the shaft.

12. Areversing mechanism inapower-transmitting device consisting of amain shaft, a main gear attached thereto, a support loosely mounted onthe main shaft, a driving-gear also loosely mounted on the main shaft,planetary gearing carried by said support and meshing with thedriving-gear and also with a second train of planetary gears carried bysaid support and adapted to move in reverse direction to the firstplanetary gears, said second train also meshing with the main gear, areversing-pinion loosely mounted on said main shaft engaging with thesecond train of planetary gears, means for applying power to thedriving-gear in one direction, means for holding the gear-supportagainst rotation about the main shaft whereby motion is transmitted tothe main shaft, all in combination with means for releasing thegear-support and holding the reversing-pinion whereby the direction ofmotion of the main shaft is reversed.

13. A reversing mechanism in a power-transmain gear rigidly attachedthereto, a drivingmitting device consisting of a main shaft, a ping thereversing-gear will allow the secondary series of planet-wheels to carryitself gear, a gear-support and a reversing gear all around thereversing-gear in a reverse direcloosely mounted on said shaft, aprimary and tion faster than it can drive the main gear secondary trainof planetary gears moving in in the first direction thereby reversingthe opposite directions and carried by the gearmotion of the latter allin combination with support, and meshing constantly with the means forholding and releasing the reversfirstnamed gears, all so proportionedand aring-gear. ranged that stopping the rotation of the gear- WARDDECKER.

Witnesses:

FRED C. HILL, CHARLES A. CAMERON.

gear will rotate the main shaft in one direcsnpport and applying powerto the drivingtion and releasing the gear-support and stop-

